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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: sharp · field · key · foot · bulb · press · court · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bulb — for light
  3. field — farmland
  4. press — to push
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. sharp — clever
  8. press — newspapers
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. court — for sport
  11. bulb — for light
  12. field — a subject
  13. key — in music
  14. foot — a measure
  15. press — a publisher
  16. court — of law
  17. court — of a king
  18. key — for a lock
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. field — for sport
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. key — the most important part

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com